Toy cutting apparatus



Feb. 21, 1967 MaCDOUGALL 3,304,969

I TOY CUTTING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27,' 1964 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

EDWARD A. M DOUGALL ATTORNEY .3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 27, 1964 m 6 m m a I'NVENTOR.

EDWARD A. M DOUGALL FVIG. no

ATTORNEY raequ United States Patent i 3,304,969 TOY CUTTING APPARATUS Edward A. MacDougall, 24231 Oneida Ave., Oak Park, lVIich. 48237 Filed Feb. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 347,926 21 Claims. (Cl. 1441) The present application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 254,900, filed January 30, 1963, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to toy cutting apparatus which may be assembled in a variety of forms so as to resemble various woodworking tools; and more particularly to toy cutting apparatus which can be used by children with a high degree of safety.

While children are often fascinated by powered woodworking tools and experience in the use of such tools would constitute a valuable educational experience, the inherent danger to the person because of the high power and design of these tools makes them unsuitable for use by children. It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide cutting apparatus which differs from conventional powered wood-working tools both in basic design and drive system in such a manner that it would be unsuitable for use as a conventional cutting tool but is specially useful as a toy. One of the fundamental distinctions between apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention and conventional wood-working machines lies in the type of electric driving motor employed. Machine tools, in' general, utilize electric motors which exhibit characteristics of increasing torque wit-h decreasing speed. This allows them to develop a driving force when they meet obstructions so as to overcome the obstructions. For example when a lathe tool is applied to a workpiece driven by a woodworking lathe, the force exerted by the tool on the workpiece slows down the motor causing it to increase its driving torque until a sufficient torque is developed to overcome the force exerted by the tool. In accordance with the present invention, the driving motor utilized with the toy cutting apparatus is preferably of the shaded pole type. It has a speed-torque curve in such shape that the driving torque increases with decreased speed only in a narrow speed band around the operating speed. For example; the operating speed of the motor may be 3200 rpm. When the motor meets a resisting force due to the application of a tool to a workpiece driven by the motor, the motor slows down and develops increasing torque until approximately 2700 rpm. is reached. At speeds below that point, the motor torque decreases with the motor speed so that if the motor is slowed beyond this point, it will stall. While such stalling action would be completely unacceptable in a conventional woodworking machine, it provides a safety factor which is highly desirable in a toy. A toy lathe formed" in accordance with the present invention may be easily stalled by grasping the workpiece without any harm to the hand. Yet, if a tool is applied to the workpiece with a force that does not exceed that which drives the motor into its stalling range, a wide variety of soft woods and plastics may be formed with the lathe.

Another safety feature of the present invention resides in the extremely short reciprocating stroke developed by the sabre saw form of the invention. While this limited stroke, which approximates /8, is' sufficient to cut rigid materials such as Woods, plastics, and metals, it will not cut through flesh because flesh is flexible enough to give with this short reciprocating motion so that no cutting action takes place.

Another safety factor exhibited by the devices of the present invention is attributable to the form of the machine central unit on which the various woodworking machines, such as a lathe, sabre saw, sanding disc, and

ice

drill press are constructed. This central unit takes the form of an elongated base with vertical members attached to either end. The driving motor is disposed in a horizontal position adjacent to one of the vertical end members and, in one preferred form of construction, may constitute that vertical end member. A pair of horizontally disposed rods are supported between the top sides of the two vertical end members in a horizontal position. These rods are approximately aligned in a horizontal plane which contains the shaft of the driving motor. A dead center is supported on and movable along the rods. When the cutting device is to be used as a lathe, a workpiece is supported between a live center which is attached to the motor spindle and the dead center. Either of the rods is employed as a tool post so that a cutting tool may be rested directly on one of the rods and brought into contact with the work. Use of a full length tie rod as the tool support eliminates the danger of the lathe tool slipping off the tool support and causing an accident.

The construction of the central unit centered about an elongated base member, the two vertical end members and the pair of rods disposed at approximately spindle height provides a variety of advantages in addition to the elimination of the need for a tool post and the noted safety factor which accrues thereto. The rods act as structural members, tying the two vertical end members to one another so as to form a rigid, yet light weight, rectangle. As the dead center is carried between the pair of rods, force exerted between the live and dead centers are absorbed as tensile forces on the rods. This eliminates the need for a relatively heavy, rigid, dead center mechanism since no twisting moments are exerted on the dead center as they are in a normal lathe construction.

A locking post for auxiliary tool members which can convert the devices into a sabre saw or sanding disc or other device is formed on the vertical support member adjacent to the motor and may constitute part of the motor housing. This support cooperates with a tool table which may either be locked into the support post or moveably supported on the two rods in order to form the Various woodworking tools. The design is such that all of the woodworking tools may be assembled and dissembled from the central unit without the use of any hand tools.

It is, therefore, seen that the primary object of the present invention is to provide toy cutting apparatus which may be assembled in a variety of forms so as to duplicate the operations of various woodworking tools and is simple and lightweight in construction and safe for a child to use.

Another object is to provide a toy powered cutting tool which employs a mot-or having an operating characteristic with a relatively narrow band of increasing torque with decreasing speed around the operating speed and a relatively large area wherein the torque decreases with decreasing speed so that the motor may be easily stalled.

Another object is to provide a toy cutting tool which may be assembled in a variety of forms, all of which have a central unit for-med of an elongated base with vertical supports at either end of the base, a motor having a horizontal spindle associated with one of the supports, and a pair of horizontal parallel rods disposed in approximately the same plane as the motor spindle connecting the two vertical end members.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a toy cutting tool construction built around such central unit wherein a plurality of cutting tools of various configurations may be formed by attaching auxiliary units to the central unit without the use of hand tools.

Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention would be made apparent by the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the spindle.

invention. The description makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the central unit of an embodiment of the present invention, employed as a lathe;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of those attachments necessary to convert the central unit into a toy which duplicates the action of a sabre saw;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the central unit equipped with the attachments of FIGURE 2 in order to convert it into a toy which duplicates the action of a sabre saw;

FIGURE 4 is a side sectional view of the apparatus of FIGURE 3 taken along lines 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an end sectional view of the apparatus of FIGURE 3 taken on lines 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a detailed sectional view of the dead center guide and locking means taken along lines 66 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a partial side view showing the unit with attachments necessary to convert it to a drill press;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the central unit with the attachments necessary to convert it to a toy which duplicates the action of a disc sanding table;

FIGURE 9 is :a partial perspective view showing an attachment to the central unit which converts it to a flexible shaft drill unit; and

FIGURE 10 is a graph of the speed-torque characteristic of the motor employed in the preferred embodiment.

Referring to the drawings, all of the varieties of woodworking tools which may be duplicated by the present invention are formed on a central unit shown in the FIG- URE l in the form of a lathe. The central unit is constructed about an elongated base 20 formed of a sheet material having its two long edges bent and rebent to form elongated support sections which raise the central section of the base 20 above a supporting structure. A vertical end member 24 is fixed to one short end of the base and extends transversely thereto so as to be in a vertical position when the base is supported on its legs 22. The end member 24 has a V-section 26 removed from the center of its upper end so as to form a pair of diverging legs 28. Four rubber pads 30' are disposed at the four corners of the end member 24 so that the central unit may be supported with the base 20 in a vertical position, resting on the pads 30. Such a vertical position is desirable for certain forms of machine operation such as the drill press as illustrated in FIGURE 7.

A motor and frame unit 32 is aflixed to the upper side of the opposite end of the base 20. The frame 32 constitutes a motor housing and is largely contoured with the requirements of the specific motor to which it is applied. The housing, however, has certain properties resulting from the requirements of the present invention. First, the top of the housing 34 is flat. This flat housing acts in conjunction with other accessories such as a table for feeding work to various implements powered by the motor and certain of the inventive assemblies. The motor is so oriented within the frame 32 that its spindle 38 is disposed in a plane parallel to the base 20. The motor housing 32 also has a tongue 36 extending from the side of the housing which is in opposition to the end member 24. This tongue 36 surrounds the motor shaft 3 8 which extends therethrough and acts as the machine The motor frame itself constitutes the headstock.

The tongue 36 has a circular bulge 40" around its center. The tongue 36 and the bulge 40 act as a receptacle for various attachments for the central unit. As will be noted subsequently, these attachments have sections which complement the tongue 36 and which allow the attachments to be fixed to the frame 32.

The motor frame 32 also has a pair of ears 42 (only one shown) which are disposed on opposite sides of the frame and receive the ends of a pair of rods 44. The

rods extend along the length of the unit and are disposed parallel to one another on opposite sides of the spindle 38. They :are parallel to the spindle and a plane passing through the two rods 44 will preferably extend just slightly below the axis of the spindle so that either of the rods may be used as a tool support as is illustrated in FIGURE 1. In any event, this plane should pass within one inch on either side of the spindle.

In certain embodiments of the invention it may be desirable for the motor to be supported adjustably on the base 20 so that it may be selectively disposed with its shaft either parallel to or perpendicular to the base 20. In such embodiments it will be desirable to provide supports for ends of the rods 44 separate from the motor frame 32. The opposite ends of the rods 44 are fixed to the end support 24. The rods act as structural members and tie in the end support 24 with the motor housing to form a closed rectangular structure.

The guide member 46 is supported and moveable along the rails 44 and carries a dead center 48 in opposing relationship to the motor spindle 38. The details of the guide 46 are disclosed in FIGURES 6. It constitutes :an elongated bar with a downturned edge 50 on the side facing the motor frame 32. The dead center 48 is fixed in the center of the edge 50 so that it is disposed on an extension of the axis of the motor spindle 38. Each of the ends of the guide 46 is formed with an ear 52 which surrounds one of the rods 44. The ear to the left as viewed in FIGURE 6 is split so as to accommodate a noncircular section 56 allowing the section 56 to be disposed in either the position shown in FIGURE 6 wherein the non-circular section rides freely on the rod 44 or the phantom position 60 shown in FIGURE 6 wherein the large radius section of the member 56 bears against the guide member 46 and thereby is forced against the rod 44 causing the guide to be locked in position along the rods. Thus, when the lever 58 is in the free position the guide 46 may be freely moved along the rods 44 by hand, and when the lever 58 is moved into a horizontal position the guide is locked into position on the rods. From manufacturing standpoint it is desirable that the car 52 surrounding the rod 44 at the end equipped with a lock 58 have a closer fit about the rod than the other ear. A close fit on both ears would require a high degree of alignment before the guide could be moved. A close fit is required about the locking ear and therefore the other ear is formed with a looser sliding fit. The guide member 46 also has a central hole 60 formed in its top side for the purposes of receiving certain auxiliary tools as will be noted subsequently.

In order to use the unit as a wood lathe, a live center 62 which has three prongs and a central flattened hole adapted to be fitted over the spindle 38 is forced into one end of a cylindrical wooden workpiece 64.

The live center 62 has an internal bore which engages a complementary surface on the spindle 38 so as to cause the live center to rotate with the spindle. The guide 46 is then moved against the other end of the workpiece 64 embedding the dead center in the end of the workpiece. The lever 58 is then moved into a locked position and the unit is ready for use. An electrical switch 66 associated with the motor and connecting the motor with a power line (not shown) energizes the motor. The device is then used like a normal wood lathe and a lathe tool 68 is supported on one of the rods 44 and applied to the rotating workpiece 64.

The motor employed in the preferred embodiment is of the shaded pole variety. An approximate speed-torque curve of such a motor is shown in FIGURE 10. The motor reaches maximum torque at a speed slightly below its normal operating speed. After that point is reached, the torque of the motor decreases as its speed is decreased. Therefore, if the motor encounters an obstruction which causes its speed to drop below the point at which torque increases, the motor will then stall. As has been noted,

this is an important safety feature whichwould be unsuitable on a conventional lathe but is highly desirable on a toy unit since it acts as a safety latch and prevents the operators hand from being harmed if it accidentally falls against the rotating workpiece.

In order to convert the top into a sabre saw arrangement, the parts shown in FIGURE 2 are attached to the central unit. They comprise the saw support 70, a cam driving unit 72, and a saw table generally indicated at 74. The saw table is preferably a casting having a flat table surface 76 with downturned edges 78 on opposite sides. One edge of th etable 74 has a rectangular aperture 80 formed therein and the three sides of this aperture support the ends of downwardly projecting walls 88 and 90 which are complementary side walls and the rear wall 92. The walls 88 and 90 are adapted to conform to the sides of the tongue 36 formed on the motor frame 32. They include central bulges 94 and 96 which conform to the convex section 40 on the tongue 36. The rear wall 92 has a central aperture 98 which forms the opening of a cavity carried in the direction of the rear wall. Three ribs 100' connect the cavity to the bottom of the table 76. The far end of the section 98 is bored so as to receive the dead center 43 in certain applications.

The cam drive member 72'is simply a cylindrical member having off-center bore 104 which is shaped to receive the driving spindle 38. The saw support has a fine tooth saw member 106 projecting from one end and has an internal cavity formed in a member 108 which is adapted to receive the driving cam 72. When the units are assembled together as is shown in FIGURES 3, 4, and 5, a central slot 110 in the blade support is slipped over the spindle 38 and then the cam drive member 72 is fitted to the other side of the saw support. The table 74 is then locked into the motor housing 32 by means of the dead center 48. The aperture 98 surrounds but does not contact the cam drive 72. The table 76 forms an extension of the flat top 34 of the motor housing 32 so that work may be supported on the combined table and brought into the contact with the saw 106. When the motor is energized, the cam drive 72 is rotated and its eccentric motion imparts a reciprocation to the saw 106. This reciprocation is of approximately /s of an inch stroke and, as has been noted, is capable of cutting wood and other materials, but not flesh.

FIGURE 7 illustrates the, manner in which the central unit may be converted into a toy which duplicates the action of the drill press. First, a drill chuck 111 is slipped over the motor spindle 38 and a suitable drill 112 is fixed within the chuck. Then a drill table unit 114 which has ear members 116 which surround the rods 44 is attached to the rods. This unit has a flat surface 118 which extends perpendicularly to the base 20 in opposition to the machine spindle.

The table may be actuated toward and away from the drill 112 so as to bring the workpiece 120 into and out of contact with the drill by a double linkage member generally indicated at 122. The linkage member consists of a first link 124 with a handle 126 extending at an angle from its mid-section and one end pivotably pinned within the hole 60 in the guide member 46. The other end of the linkage member 124 is pinned to a second link 128 which has its other end pinned in the table 114. The lever 58 is first moved into a locking position, preventing guide 46 from moving along the rods. Then, a workpiece 120 is disposed on the flat surface 118 and the arm 126 is moved so as to move the table 118 toward and away from the drill 112. In this application the central unit is preferably supported on the end plate 24 and the rubber pads 30 act as a support.

FIGURE 8 illustrates the use of the central unit as a sanding table. In this case the table member 74 is supported in a horizontal position with its downward edges 78 encompassing the two rods 44. The table may be manually positioned along the rods and it presents a level surface at approximately spindle height. A sanding disc attachment 130 which has means for suitably engaging the spindle 38 acts as the cutting tool in this application. A workpiece to be sanded is supported on the table 76 and brought in contact with the rotating disc 130.

FIGURE 9 illustrates attachment to the central unit which allows it to be used as a flexible shaft drill. Only those parts of the central unit which cooperate with the flexible drill are illustrated. The operating part of the assembly is a drill chuck 132 which is fixed to the end of the handle 134 and is adapted to receive various rotary tools such as grinding burrs or a drill 136. The drill chuck 132 is powered by a flexible shaft 138 which may be of any well-known variety. The other end of the shaft 138 connects to the motor shaft 38 by means of a coupling end 140. The coupling is retained in position with respect to the motor shaft by ahousing which includes an end cap 142 which is a complementary shape to the tongue 36 on the motor frame. The cap 142 has a central hole 144 through which the shaft 38 passes. A shaft support bracket 146 is attached to the end plate 142 and journals the end of the flexible shaft. The shaft 138 is supported in the bracket 146 in a gentle upward curve so that it passes out of the end of the bracket without interference to the dead center.

The bracket 146 is retained in position against the tongue 36 by the dead center 48 which is positioned with the guide 46. The flexible shaft unit is useful for drilling or grinding relatively small workpieces.

It is thus seen that the central unit is so constructed as to act in combination with the table unit 74 and 114 and the flexible attachment 146 so as to form a variety of toys which duplicate the action of the machine tools and operate with a high degree of safety.

The structure of the central unit is such that embodiments of the invention may be constructed which are small and light in weight, but which are suificiently rigid so that actual wooden workpieces may be easily formed on them. An embodiment of-the invention has been constructed which is 14 long, 4" wide, and 3" high and employs a 1/70 horsepower shaded pole motor. It performs the operations of all the varieties of woodworking machines very adequately and safely.-

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A toy cutting machine, comprising:

(a) a pair of parallel rods;

(b) a support for one end of both of said rods;

(0) a support for the other ends of both of said rods;

(d) a rotatable spindle disposed adjacent to said first support and having its axis disposed between said rods, parallel to said rods and approximately in the plane passing through said rods;

(e) means adaptedto rotate said spindle;

(f) a dead center supported by and moveable along said rods having its axis on an extension of the axis of said spindle between said rods; and

(g) means for releasably locking said dead center against movement at any point along said rods.

2. A toy cutting machine, including:

(a) a base;

(b) a pair of parallel rods extending between first and second ends of said base;

(c) a rotatable spindle disposed adjacent to said first end between said rods with its axis substantially parallel to that of said rods and lying substantially in a plane through said rods;

(d) a dead center supported on and moveable along A said rods with its axis substantially between said rods and along the extension of the center line of said spindle; and

(e) means for releasably locking said dead center against movement at any point along said rods.

3. Toy cutting apparatus, comprising:

(a) a base;

(b) a headstock including a rotatable spindle fixed to one end of said base;

(c) a motor adapted to rotate said spindle in said headstock;

(d) rods extending from said headstock to the opposite end of said base on opposite sides of and in substantially a common plane with the extension of said spindle;

(e) a guide extending between and moveable along said rods;

(f) means for releasably locking said guide at any point along said rods; and

(g) a dead center fixed on said guide between said rods and along an extension of the center line of said spindle.

4. Toy cutting apparatus, comprising:

(a) an elongated base;

(b) a frame fixed to one end of said base;

(c) a spindle rotatable in said frame and extending in the direction of the other end of said base;

(d) a support fixed to said other end of the base;

(e) a pair of rods extending between the frame and support on opposite sides of said spindle, said rods lying in substantially the same plane as the spindle;

(f) a guide extending between and moveable along the rods;

(g) means on said guide for releasably securing it to any point along the rods; and

(h) a dead center on the guide in opposing relationship to said spindle and disposed on an extension of the axis of the spindle.

5. Toy cutting apparatus, comprising:

(a) a pair of parallel rods;

(b) a support for one end of each of said rods;

(c) a support for the other end of each of said rods;

(d) a rotatable spindle disposed adjacent to said first support with its axis parallel to said rods and within one inch on either side of a plane passing through said rods;

(e) means adapted to rotate said spindle;

(f) a dead center supported on and moveable along said rods and extending along the center line of said spindle;

(g) means for releasably locking the dead center against .movement at any point on said rods; and

(h) whereby forces exerted on a workpiece between the spindle and dead center are communicated through said rods substantially as tensile forces and one of said rods may be employed as a tool post.

6. Toy cutting apparatus, comprising:

(a) an elongated base;

(b) a frame fixed to one end of said base;

(c) a spindle rotatable in said frame and extending in the direction of the other end of said base;

(d) a support fixed to said other end of the base;

(e) a pair of rods extending between said frame and said support on opposite sides of said spindle and parallel thereto, the rods lying between a plane parallel to the rods and passing through said spindle and the base, within one inch of the plane parallel to the rods and passing through the spindle; and

(f) means for rotating the spindle.

7. A toy cutting apparatus which includes a base, a

spindle rotatably supported with respect to the base and a dead center moveable with respect to said base along the extension of the center line of said spindle, and means for releasably locking said dead center against movement at any point of its movement, the improvement which comprises:

a fractional horsepower alternating current electric driving motor for said spindle which has relatively low torque at speeds substantially below its operating speed and a relatively higher torque at its operating speed, whereby such motor is capable of driving the spindle in the range of its operating speed 75 with sufiicient torque to cut relatively soft woods and plastics, but will readily stall when a resistive force in excess of its torque at operating speeds is imposed on the spindle.

8. A toy cutting apparatus which includes a base, a spindle rotatably supported with respect to the base and a dead center moveable with respect to said base along the extension of the center line of said spindle, and means for releasably locking said dead center against movement at any point of its movement, the improvement which comprises:

a fractional horsepower alternating current electric driving motor for said spindle which is of the shaded pole variety and has a relatively high driving torque at operating speed and a relatively lower driving torque at speeds substantially below its operating speed whereby the torque of the motor at operating speed is sufficient to cut relatively soft materials, but the motor readily stalls when a resistive force in excess of the driving torque at operating speeds is imposed upon the spindle.

9. The structure of claim 6 wherein said means for rotating a spindle comprises an electric shaded pole motor having a high driving torque at operating speed and a relatively lower driving torque at speeds substantially below its operating speed.

10. Toy cutting apparatus, comprising:

(a) an elongated base;

(b) a frame fixed to one end of said base;

(c) a spindle rotatable in said frame and extending in the direction of the other end of said base;

(d) a support fixed to the other end of the base;

(e) a pair of rods each having one end fixed to the frame and the other end fixed to the support;

(if) a guide extendable and moveable along the rods;

(g) means on said guide for releasably securing it to any point along the rods; and

(h) a dead center on the guide in opposing relationship to said spindle disposed on an extension of the axis of the spindle.

11. Toy cutting apparatus, comprising:

(a) an elongated base;

(b) a frame fixed to one end of said base;

(0) a spindle rotatable in said frame and extending in the direction of the other end of said base;

(d) a support fixed to said other end of the base;

(e) a pair of rods each having one end attached to the frame and the other end attached to the support, said rods being disposed on opposite sides of said spindle;

(f) a guide extending between and moveable along the rods;

(g) means on said guide for releasably securing it at any point along the rods;

(h) an electric motor for rotating said spindle;

(i) a dead center on the guide in opposing relationship to said spindle and disposed on an extension of the axis of the spindle; and

(j) a table having a fiat top operative to engage the frame which restrains it against motion in directions transverse to said spindle and to be restrained against motion along the axis of the spindle between said frame and the dead center.

12. Toy cutting apparatus, comprising:

(a) an elongated base;

(b) a frame having a flat top fixed to one end of said base;

(0) a spindle rotatable in said frame and extending in the direction of the other end of said base;

( d) a support fixed. to said other end of the base;

(e) a pair of rods each having one end fixed to the frame and its other end fixed to said support, said rods being disposed on opposite sides of said spindle;

(f) a guide supported on and moveable along the rods;

(g) means on said guide for releasably securing it to any point along the rods;

(h) electric motor means for rotating said spindle;

(i) a dead center on the guide in opposing relationship to said spindle and disposed on an etxension of the axis of the spindle; and

(j) a table having a flat top which may be supported adjacent to said frame so that said flat top forms an extension of the top of said frame, said table being operative to engage said frame so as to be restrained against movement transverse to the axis of the spindle, and to be restrained between said dead center and said frame.

13. Toy cutting apparatus, comprising:

(a) an elongated base;

(-b) a frame fixed to one end of said base;

(c) a spindle rotatable in said frame and extending in the direction of the other end of said base;

(d) a support fixed to said other end of thebase;

(c) a pair of rods each having one end fixed to the frame and its other end fixed to the support, said rods lying on opposite sides of said spindle;

(f) a guide extending between and movable along the rods;

(g) means on said rod for releasably securing it to any point along the rods;

(h) electric motor means drivingly connected to said spindle;

(i) a dead center on the guide in opposing relationship to said spindle and disposed on an extension of the axis of the spindle; and

(j) a table having a fiat top, said table having first means thereon which are engageable with said frame so that said table may be restrained between said frame and said dead center, and a pair of tracks thereon operative to engage bore of said rods simultaneously so said table may be supported on the rods and moved along said rods.

14. Toy cutting apparatus, comprising:

(a) an elongated base;

(b) a frame fixed to one end ofsaid base;

(c) a spindle rotatable in said frame and extending in the direction of the other end of said base;

(d) a support fixed to the other. end of the base;

(e) a pair of rods each having one end fixed to the frame and the other end fixed to the support;

(f) a guide extendable and moveable. along the rods;

(g) means on said guide for releasably securing it to any point along the rods;

(h) a dead center on the guide in opposing relationship to said spindle disposed on an extension of the axis of the spindle;

(i) a cam member adapted to fit about said spindle and be retained in place by said dead center;

(j) a support member adapted to fit about said cam member; and

' (k) a saw blade fixed to said support member, whereby rotation of said cam imparts a reciprocating linear motion to said blade.

15. Toy cutting apparatus, comprising:

(a) an elongated base;

(b) a frame fixed to one end of said base;

(c) a spindle rotatable in said frame and extending in the direction of the other end of said base;

(d) a support fixed to the other end of said base;

(e) a pair of rods each having one end fixed to the frame, and the other end fixed to the support;

(f) a guide extendable and moveable along the rods;

(g) means on said guide for releasably securing it to any point along the rods;

(h) a dead center on the guide in opposing relationship to said spindle disposed on an extension of the axis of the spindle;

(i) a cam-shaped shaft adapted to fit over said spindle;

(j) a support adapted to fit about said shaft;

(k) a saw blade connected to said support and extending away therefrom; and

(l) a bracket adapted to fit about said support and shaft,

said bracket having an opening adapted to accommodate the end of said dead center.

16. Toy cutting apparatus, comprising:

(a) an elongated base;

(b) a frame fixed to one end of said base;

(0) a spindle rotatable in said frame and extending in the direction of the other end of said base;

(d) a support fixed to the other end of the base;

(e) a pair of rods each having one end fixed to the frame and the other end fixed to the support;

(f) a guide extendable and moveable along the rods;

(g) a dead center on the guide in opposing relationship to said spindle disposed on an extension of the axis of the spindle;

(h) a cam-shaped lock member moveable between a first position wherein it bears against said guide member and causes said guide member in turn to bear against at least one of said rods, said guide member thereby being locked against parallel movement along said rods, and a second position wherein said guide member is released for sliding movement along said rods.

17. Toy cutting apparatus, comprising:

(a) an elongated base;

(b) a frame fixed to onev end of said base;

(c) a spindle rotatable in said frame and extending in the direction of the other end of said base;

(d) a support fixed to the other end of the base;

(e) a pair of rods each having one end fixed to the frame and, the other end fixed t0 the support;

(f) a guide extendable and moveable along the rods;

(g) means on said guide for releasably securing it to any point along the rods;

(h) a dead center on the guide in opposing relationship to said spindle disposed on an extension of the axis of the spindle;

(i) a table supportable on said rods and having a fiat surface disposed perpendicular to said base in opposition to said frame; and

(j) means for actuating said support toward and away from said frame.

18. Toy cutting apparatus, comprising:

(a) an elongated base;

( b) a frame fixed to one end of said base;

(0) a spindle rotatable in said frame and extending in the direction of the other end of said base;

(d) a support fixed to the other end of the base;

(e) a pair of rods each having one end fixed to the frame and the other end fixed to the support;

(f) a guide extendable and moveable along the rods;

(g) means on said guide for releasably securing it to any point along the rods;

(h) a dead center on the guide in opposing relationship to said spindle disposed on an extension of the axis of the spindle; I

(i) a rotatable flexible shaft having a cutter retaining chuck fixed on one end thereof;

(j) a bracket having one end engageable with said frame and the other end engageable 'with the dead center, said bracket being retained between said frame and said dead center, one end of said flexible shaft being journaled in said bracket; and

(k) means fixed to the end of the flexible shaft which is fixed within the bracket for engaging said motor spindle.

19. In a toy cutting apparatus which includes a housing, and a spindle r-otatably supported with respect to said housing, the improvement which comprises:

a fractional horsepower alternating current electric motor drivingly connected to said spindle, said motor :being of the shaded pole variety and having a relatively high driving torque at operating speed and a relatively lower driving torque at speed substantially below its operating speed, whereby such motor is capable of driving the spindle in the range of its operating-speed With sufiicient torque to cut relatively soft materials, but will readily stall when a resistive force in excess of its torque at its operating speeds is imposed on the spindle.

20. In a toy cutting device, the combination comprising: an elongated base; a housing disposed adjacent to one end of said base; a shaded pole motor supported within said housing with its shaft projecting out of said housing parallel to the base, said housing having a substantially flat top surface; and a table member removably mountable adjacent to said housing and having a fiat surface which is disposed substantially parallel to and coextensive with the top surface of said housing, at such times as said housing is so mounted.

21. In a toy cutting device, the combination comprising: an elongated base; a housing supported with respect of the base at one end thereof; a shaded pole motor disposed within said housing with its shaft projecting out- Wardly through the housing parallel to said base; a substantially flat area formed on the top of said motor housing; a table member removably mountable adjacent to said housing and having a top surface which is substantially fiat and is disposed substantially parallel to and co-extensive with the top surface of said housing when said table member is so mounted, said table cooperating with said housing to define a substantially closed volume adjacent to said output shaft, a saw drive member having an opening formed therein, mounted in said space for reciprocation therein along a line substantially perpendicular to the flat section of the housing and the table member; a saw blade attached to said drive member and an eccentric member supported on said motor shaft and operative to be disposed within the opening in said saw drive member, whereby upon rotation of said shaft, said saw drive member is reciprocated within said space causing said saw blade to be reciprocated along a line perpendicular to said flat top surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,200,799 5/ 1940 Miller. 2,364,396 12/ 1944 Stahler 2927 2,829,285 4/ 1958 Steiner et a1.

WILLIAM W. DYER. JR., Primary Examiner.

W. D. BRAY, Assistant Examiner. 

16. TOY CUTTING APPARATUS, COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED BASE; (B) A FRAME FIXED TO ONE END OF SAID BASE; (C) A SPINDLE ROTATABLE IN SAID FRAME AND EXTENDING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE OTHER END OF SAID BASE; (D) A SUPPORT FIXED TO THE OTHER END OF THE BASE; (E) A PAIR OF RODS EACH HAVING ONE END FIXED TO THE FRAME AND THE OTHER END FIXED TO THE SUPPORT; (F) A GUIDE EXTENDABLE AND MOVEABLE ALONG THE RODS; (G) A DEAD CENTER ON THE GUIDE IN OPPOSING RELATIONSHIP TO SAID SPINDLE DISPOSED ON AN EXTENSION OF THE AXIS OF THE SPINDLE; (H) A CAM-SHAPED LOCK MEMBER MOVEABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN IT BEARS AGAINST SAID GUIDE MEMBER AND CAUSES SAID GUIDE MEMBER IN TURN TO BEAR AGAINST AT LEAST ONE OF SAID RODS, SAID GUIDE MEMBER THEREBY BEING LOCKED AGAINST PARALLEL MOVEMENT ALONG SAID RODS, AND A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN SAID GUIDE MEMBER IS RELEASED FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT ALONG SAID RODS. 